Three major fires erupt overnight

Three major fires erupt overnight

JAKARTA (JP): At least three large fires were recorded in the
city on Tuesday night, leaving hundreds of people homeless and
without any belongings.

No fatalities were reported but the fires illuminated the
heavily populated residential areas of Pulogadung in East
Jakarta, Cikini in Central Jakarta and Kelapa Gading in North
Jakarta.

Jakarta Fire Agency chief Suharso insisted that all of the
fires were accidents. None of them were plotted by anybody, he
stressed.

"We've witnessed three, five and even 10 fires in a single
night here in this capital. It's a common thing. So, people have
nothing to be worried about over the three fires," Suharso told
The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The first fire razed hundreds of houses near Jl. Perintis
Kemerdekaan on Kayu Putih district in Pulogadung.

The cause of the fire, which burned for four hours from 9:30
p.m. Tuesday, is still under police investigation, Suryatna from
the fire agency's information office said.

Antara reported that the fire was believed to have originated
from a stove explosion in a house.

Fifteen fire engines were dispatched to the scene.

Most of the fire victims used nearby sidewalks to erect
temporary shelters.

At about the same time, Suryatna said, another fire burned
dozens of houses in a 600-square-meter plot in Kelapa Gading.

"Police are still investigating the case but provisional
findings revealed that the fire was ignited by a cigarette butt,"
he said.

At about 2 a.m. Wednesday, 65 houses in three alleys off Jl.
Raden Saleh in Cikini were set ablaze by a big fire, which was
also believed to have been caused by a stove explosion.

At least 42 families were left homeless.

During the early-morning fire, panic-stricken housewives and
children -- who were hastily awakened from their sleep -- left
their beds in hysterics.

Men and male youths were seen hurrying back and forth from
their houses to save important documents and as many valuables as
possible.

One man was injured while trying to escape from the scene and
another person was beaten up after residents caught him stealing
their belongings.

Firefighters took one and a half hours to extinguish the
blaze. (bsr)